While walking down the street in their Queens neighborhood, one New Yorker saw something upsetting.

"Someone had the bright idea to pour concrete onto the tree," they shared on their neighborhood subreddit. "There was a huge hole where rats would go in and out but I don't think this is the right way to go about this."

The photos they shared did, indeed, show a tree whose roots had been completely encased in concrete — with the exception of a large hole tunneled into the area.

Commenters quickly chimed in, frustrated at the maltreatment of the tree. "So depressing," one person lamented.

"Definitely not the way to deal with that issue," another emphasized.

Without access to air and water, trees die a slow, long-suffering death. And considering that this can happen when too much mulch is piled atop their roots — a controversial landscaping choice called "mulch volcanoes" — cement will surely be a death sentence.

Especially in an urban area like New York City, trees are ultra-important to the health and well-being of the people and the animals who live nearby. Trees serve as natural air and water filters, provide habitat for animals and pollinators, and have even been shown to boost the mental health of people who spend time near them.

To avoid the loss of the tree, many commenters suggested getting in touch with relevant authorities. "You can get in touch with the nyc parks dept and let them know," one person said. "They service the street trees and will address this — since it will kill the tree."

But others argued that the parks department would be too slow to respond. One commenter, who also identified themselves as a professional arborist, instead suggested: "The fastest way is if this concrete is still wet someone should remove it if possible, or jackhammer it. But do also report it so the person that did this can get a fine."

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